October 13, 2025 • 52 mins
From bussing tables at Circus Pizza to leading top private clubs,
Bridget Eckert, CCM has lived every side of hospitality.
In this episode, she and Denny Corby dive into what it takes to build a career you’re proud of — one rooted in curiosity, connection, and purpose. They talk messy résumés that actually make sense, teaching the next generation of club pros, and why pride still matters in this business.
Funny, real, and full of takeaways for anyone who loves hospitality.
Follow us on the socials
Private Club Radio Instagram
Private Club Radio Linkedin
Denny Corby Instagram
Denny Corby Linkedin
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
(00:02):
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, ever engagement
secrets, board governance, andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteran,just getting your feet wet, or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
I'm your host, Denny Corby.
(00:22):
Welcome to the show.
In this episode, we are hangingout with Bridget Ecker, CCM, AGM
of Town and Country Club inMinnesota.
And her journey, let's just sayit starts with circus pizza and
being Bumper the Clown andending up at one of the most
respected clubs in the state.
You see, her story is all aboutheart, hustle, and staying human
(00:44):
in hospitality.
And she has done it all.
Server, banquet manager,catering director, stadium
operations, club leadership.
And she'll tell you straight upevery weird job, every long day,
every experience, every latenight banquet has taught her
something that teaches her howto show up and how she leads,
(01:05):
even to this day.
And in this episode, we talkabout why she never still feels
like she's at work.
Even after 25 years in the cluband hospitality game, we dive
into what she learned fromjumping from private clubs to
the University of Minnesotafootball stadium.
Yes, where she's worked with theVikings and the Gopher games,
(01:25):
and how she also pushes herstudents, because she's also a
teacher and educator as well, tochase internships that stand
out.
Internships and things that makeyou stand out on paper, that
give you a little bit of thatedge, that sparks a conversation
that makes people go, really,tell me more about that.
What was that like?
You know, just uniqueinternships instead of just
(01:48):
maybe settling for a normalhotel gig.
Bridget's got this incrediblemix of warmth, wisdom, and
realness.
And you'll hear how she balancesleadership, teaching,
motherhood, and somehow stillfinds joy in all of the chaos.
And I think one of my favoritelines from this one is she said,
I just want people to look backand say she wasn't a jerk.
(02:10):
She was just a good human.
And honestly, that might just bethe best goal all of us can
have.
So settle in.
This is a great episode.
Big thanks to some of our showpartners.
We really appreciate all oftheir support here on the
channel.
I also want to give myself aquick little shout out, the
Denny Corby Experience.
We are now booking into 2026.
(02:33):
If you or your club is lookingto have one of the most fun
member event nights, holler atme.
The Denny Corby Experience.
There's excitement, there'smystery, also there's magic,
mind reading, and comedy, a tonof laughs, gasps, and holy
craps.
Learn more, dennycorby.com.
Enough about that though.
Let's get to the episode.
Private club radio listeners.
Let's welcome to the show,Bridget Eckert.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
We also had our first ever quarter century club.
So anyone that had been a memberfor 25 years or more, we had
people in the room.
One gentleman had been there forI think like 65 years.
He'd been a member at the club.
So he's also our oldest member.
Um, but so we had both of thoseevents simultaneously.
(03:16):
Yesterday, um, we're also, youknow, most of our staff are gone
because of school.
So trying to execute all thesethings um at the same time.
So um it was a long day, but itwas so fun.
And these members were tellingsome of the craziest stories,
and um, you know, all thepresidents, all the past
presidents stand up.
(03:37):
And then one of the women in theroom, she's like, you know, I
was the first club, you know,female club president.
I'm like, does anyone know that?
We should talk about this.
Um, and then the piano playerthat we had, he's like, you
know, I've been playing here for38 years.
Like, really?
It's like, yep, I was incollege.
And George Carroll, who's uh,you know, kind of a storied club
(03:57):
manager in our market, um, he'slike, Well, George was here and
and he's like, Hey, kid, you gotany business cards?
He's like, I don't.
He's like, Well, how much do youcharge?
He's like, I don't know, howmuch do you want to pay me?
And he's been playing there eversince.
So, you know, just things likethat.
So it was so fun to hear some ofthose stories.
And it was just that was a greatnight, but in general, it's
just, you know, trying to getthe weather, um, you know,
(04:20):
having having these beautifulsummer evenings when it's not
even summer anymore, and themembers just love it, and
getting all the extra use out ofthe patio.
And if there's a if there's abeautiful day in Minnesota,
we're outside.
SPEAKER_02 (04:33):
So real real quick, can you go, can you dive into
those two events?
Those sounded like a lot of fun.
Well, so the the superintendentsre-revenge.
SPEAKER_00 (04:43):
Yeah, it's an annual event.
I think a lot of clubs do it,but it's you know, they make the
course a little complicated.
You're a teen off um uh on arandom spot on the golf course.
It's not the T-Box.
Your your pin placements arereally difficult.
If you don't land in the rightplace, you're never gonna get
par, uh, things like that.
(05:04):
So they just really make itdifficult.
We do another one called crosscountry.
So you might start on hole oneand then maybe instead of going
to two, you're, you know, itmakes more sense to go to five
or things like that.
So it's really just about, Idon't want to say sticking it to
the member because that's notwhat the intent is, but it's
it's really playing the coursein such an abnormal, um, yeah,
(05:28):
you know, unnatural way.
And, you know, one member teedoff and then they're driving the
carts over the curbs, you know.
I'm like, what are you doing?
He's like, I didn't mean to, butit seems like that's the way
we're supposed to go.
I'm like, well, everyone elsewas going this way.
Um but you know, it's it's likeit's just it's just they're
(05:48):
playing the course in in almostlike a putt-putt way, right?
Like just really nonsensical.
And it throws them off.
And the what this one group theywere they were putting out on
18.
I had I was in the halfwayhouse, you know, I didn't have
anyone for the afternoon.
And so I'm like, I'm gonna sitout there.
You see everything, andeveryone's walking around, like,
(06:09):
what are you doing here?
I'm like, I'm watching you, youknow.
Um, but they finished off on 18and they got a birdie, and
they're they were so excitedbecause again, this pin
placement was just difficult.
So just just to watch them be soexcited about about this this
hole.
And one of the Bevcourt girlshad stopped by and she's like,
(06:32):
Congratulations on your birdie,whoever got that.
And they're like, Oh no, ourteam got this.
This is a this is a team event.
And they were just so excited toplay, and it's six sums.
So, you know, they make theirown teams and they're having
fun, and it's just it's justgreat, you know, to you know,
the golf, golf can be serious,right?
It, you know, yeah, even evenwhen you're just playing with
(06:54):
your friends, like it can beserious.
They're they're playing formoney on holes and they're
they're having a good time, butbut some of the players are a
little extra sometimes.
And so when you see thesemembers just having a blast, and
you know that the superintendenthad a great time putting the
course together and reallytrying to make it complicated on
(07:14):
one hole or really fun andstrange on another hole.
It's just so much fun to watchthese members play.
And then, you know, they hadthey had lunch to the so the
ladies played in the morning,then they had a joint lunch.
So the lady golfers finished,the men had lunch, and then they
were going out, and then theyhad appetizers after, and then
they transitioned right into thequarter century club.
(07:36):
So some members were they haddouble duty, they were there
from 11 a.m.
to 10 p.m.
They made a day of it.
So it was just a great day atthe club yesterday.
SPEAKER_02 (07:47):
And then as as Lee and man, I this is so this is
what it feels like to work here.
All the staff is like, oh,welcome.
Yeah all day.
So oops, I'm just gonna thinkabout that.
It's so cool.
SPEAKER_00 (08:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:00):
And and and you have a unique start to the whole
thing, you know, because what weyou were telling uh you were 15
uh uh uh bus and tables atcircus pizza.
You you were a clown.
You know, what what did thoseearly jobs teach you that still
maybe shows up in your sure inyour work today and how you lead
(08:21):
and how you sure.
SPEAKER_00 (08:23):
I mean, I think first and foremost, it it was
teamwork, right?
It's you know, coming togetheras a group of people and and
really I mean, busting a table,it's that's not your only job,
right?
You're you're stepping in andhelping somebody else, you're
keeping the flow going so thatthe next family can come in.
(08:45):
So I think part of it, the thefirst and foremost was teamwork,
it was collegiality, it was youknow, getting getting the to to
to make friends and buildrelationships.
So that's such an earlyintroduction to what hospitality
is.
Um things that have really stuckwith me, I would say um it's I
(09:08):
mean, honestly, it's it's somuch of it is is relationship
building, whether it'srelationship within your
coworkers, relationships withthe people that you're tending
to.
Um I think one of the thingsthat you know has kept me in
clubs specifically, and I thinkyou find this in restaurants,
but it's you know, restaurants,it's regulars, right?
(09:30):
You get the same guys that comein and sit at the bar on
Wednesday nights, or you havethe same family that comes in
for dinner on a Sunday orwhatnot.
And you definitely see that inrestaurants.
That's where I started, right?
I sp I was in restaurants untilI was maybe 24 or 25.
It's something that I've alwaysdone.
But then when you get to clubsand you're seeing families and
(09:51):
you see them grow and change,and you're meeting the
grandchildren for, you know, theholidays, and you're meeting the
extended families, and this ismy sister, and she's in town
from California, or my parentsare here.
They haven't been here for fouryears.
We're excited to have them andwhatnot.
It's it's these bonding thingsthat happen.
And, you know, I had so my firstclub I was at uh was Lafayette
(10:16):
Club on this huge lake inMinnesota.
It's it's it's a big lake in theWest Metro.
And and there's um this onefamily that I remember in
particular, and they their thethe the wife, they had she had a
baby, and we we had children atthe same time.
And ultimately our boys went toschool together and grew up
(10:36):
together and graduated together,and they they they both went out
to Montana to go to school andchase their snowboard dreams.
And, you know, as you watchthese families grow and morph,
and I left the club, right?
I mean, I I I think I'm I wasthere for seven years.
And so people, you know, enterand exit your lives at different
(10:57):
times, but the club community isis is really small.
You don't realize how small itis, and then all of a sudden you
see somebody 15 years later andtheir children are adults and
and now they have children oftheir own and and you're kind of
brought back into the fold ofthings in a different capacity,
but it's so relationship driven.
And what you find, you know, asa young person working in
(11:20):
hospitality, you think thatpeople are are coming and going,
you know, I'm never gonna seethese people again, and who
cares, and and whatever.
And and it's so not true, right?
They they come back to yourlives in different capacities
and and you might not know it atthat time, but and I I just
think it's it's it's such a giftto watch families grow and
change.
(11:41):
I see it with staff as well.
I same club, you know, back tomy first club.
There was, you know, gals thatthat worked for me, they were
you know just graduating highschool, and and you see them go
through their college career,they go off into the world and
they get jobs, and then they getmarried and they're starting to
have families.
And you know, you follow, andnow with social media, I see
(12:03):
them on on Facebook orInstagram, and they have
children.
I run into them at the bar, um,you know, things like that.
And it's just like you just itit's just this connectivity that
you have.
And so from from day one to 2781or whatever it is, I mean, you
just you know, it's it thingsjust come back to you in a way
(12:25):
that you never expect.
So I love that.
And whether again it's employeesor members, their families,
their extended families, theirfriends, they they come back.
We just I saw a member at thebar um last weekend.
And they had left the club, theymoved out east, and they just
rejoined.
(12:45):
They were just voted, I thinkthey were just voted back in um
at the board meeting last week.
But he, you know, he saw him,he's like, Hey Bridget, we're
excited to come back.
We can't wait to see you again.
I'm like, I know I just saw Isaw your name.
I knew trouble was back on theway.
We're really excited.
This is gonna be fun.
I can't wait.
Um, you know, I still remember.
I remember you dancing.
(13:06):
I remember you dancing at thatat that golf event, and I may or
may not have a picture of that.
Um, you know, but it's just it'sso fun, and I just I love it.
I just love the relationships.
So, you know, to thinking backto that those early times, those
early, those early jobs, andreally being able to talk to
(13:27):
people and to get to know them,and it's just different.
You know, the restaurants aretransient and and and clubs are
not, and I just I love that.
SPEAKER_02 (13:36):
Yeah, I feel I feel like a lot of the people who I
talk to who have like goodpeople skills and things of that
nature, it's you know, they theycome from the trenches.
It's like they come from like alike you've worked the weird
jobs.
You did like the weird stuffearly on.
Like you were you're like, whatam I doing here?
(13:56):
But yeah, you know, lookingback, you're like, that's
probably like the best learningexperience in the entire world.
SPEAKER_00 (14:01):
Yeah, I mean, I didn't just like go to college
and wake up and be a manager,right?
I mean, I've been a busser, aserver, a host, a bartender, a
dishwasher, the clown at thecircus thing, you know, the
bumper, the clown.
We had to do parades and ohgosh, I'll never forget.
We were at, so they would rentthis clown out, and I would go
(14:23):
be in parades, or there was oneevent.
We were at a church.
It was like a church festival,like a little carnival.
And we always had like a personwith us.
So it was my best friend fromhigh school.
And we're we're goofing around.
I who knows what silliness wewere doing.
But I tripped and the head fallsoff, and it's you know, we're
(14:44):
laughing, the head's on thefloor.
I, you know, I mean, I thinkwe're in a back hallway.
So like thankfully, I don'tthink there were any kids
around, but just this wholeidea, like we were so
irresponsible and just silly andjust, you know, like we're
getting paid for this.
Who knows why they were payingus?
But, you know, like you're justyou're so you're just being
silly and having fun, and likepeople are getting paid to do
(15:05):
these things.
I still feel the same way,right?
I'm almost 50 years old, andpeople are still paying me to do
this for a job.
It's insanity.
You know, I was just talking tomy daughter.
My daughter's 21, she's incollege, and she's changed her
major for the 187th time, andshe wants to, she wants to work
in hospitality, she wants towork in clubs.
She has worked at most of theclubs that I work at.
(15:27):
Uh, I'm really excited aboutthat.
But we were having aconversation because I'm like,
okay, really, let's talk aboutthis.
Because I don't know if youreally like people.
And she's telling me, she'slike, no, here's why I want to
do this.
And in this conversation, we'retalking and I'm listening to
her, and I'm like, okay, I Ibelieve her now.
I, you know, I think this isgonna be okay.
But but we're talking about it,and I'm explaining to her, I'm
(15:49):
like, listen, I never feel likeI'm at work, right?
I never feel like I'm working.
I mean, certainly there'smoments like yesterday when I'm
there from 7 a.m.
to you know 8 p.m.
And it's a long day, my feethurt, but I I never feel like
I'm working, you know.
I'm having fun.
I'm I'm always at a party.
It might not be my party, and Imight not be partaking in the
(16:09):
party activities, but I'm at aparty, I'm talking to people,
I'm I'm creating these moments,I'm doing these things.
So, you know, I I I never feellike it's like that big of a
deal.
And I can't believe they pay meall this money to do this.
So if you can find that, likewhat a special thing.
You know, everyone talks aboutthat.
How can how can you get paid todo something that you love to
(16:30):
do?
And I've always felt that way.
So whether it's, you know,having your clown head roll down
the hallway or you know, you'reshaking hands and and talking to
people and engaging andlistening to them tell you how
wonderful of a night they'rehaving.
What a gift, you know, to beable to do that.
So I love it.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
Yeah.
And and and you've done a lot ofpositions also, like not just
you know, like in the club.
So in terms, like, you know,what like a HR at one point?
You've done some account, likeyou've done like a little bit of
everything.
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
Not HR.
No, so I have been catering, uh,member dining, um, banquet
manager.
I I mean I've done a lot ofdifferent things.
Um, I fill in, I've helped outin different capacities.
Um, but yeah, I'm currently anassistant general manager.
So I, you know, I have a plan, Ihave a path that I'd like to
(17:23):
take.
But I started out as anassistant dining manager at um
at my first club.
I was a front desk.
Actually, I always forget aboutthis job.
It's the only one, it's the onlyone that um they didn't let me
stay.
Um, it was a long time ago.
I think I was 20 or 21 yearsold.
But um, I was a receptionist ata club.
(17:46):
And um, but yeah, I've so I'vebeen a receptionist, I've been
um assistant dining manager, abanquet manager, a catering
assistant, catering director.
So I've done a lot of differentthings, but you know, a lot of
the positions that I took werereally meant for me to fill a
gap in knowledge.
I really wanted to learn, Iwanted to be a well-rounded club
(18:07):
manager.
Um, they were also positionsthat I took that fit different
needs within my family atdifferent times.
So, you know, again, with havingchildren, it's sometimes hard to
be able to work every night,weekend, and holiday.
And so they were differentmoments in time.
For example, when I was acatering director um at one of
my clubs, it was a salesposition.
(18:29):
It was a Monday through Fridayjob.
I didn't have to be there forall the events.
So it was it was the right timein my family, you know.
I think my kids were maybemiddle school, high school.
They were high school becauseactually I left there um right
around um COVID, right afterCOVID.
So 21, I think is when I leftand what type of club I'm
currently at.
(18:50):
So my kids were in high school.
My son graduated in 2020.
So um it was, you know, I didn'twant to miss all the the games
and the dances and the drama andall that kind of stuff.
So I went to a position thatallowed me to have the presence
that I wanted to have at home.
So different, different stepsfor different purposes.
But you know, when I when it wasthe right time and and the needs
(19:13):
of my family um adjusted, I wentright back into the operational
operations fire, if you will.
Um, and that's what put me inthe position I'm in now.
So I love it.
SPEAKER_02 (19:24):
And all within clubs, which is which is cool
and neat.
And still keeping like your footin there and and yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
Absolutely.
I can't get away.
I tried.
I was at I I left one of myclubs and took a break.
I took the summer off and then Iwent into um football actually.
I was at a stadium, one of theUniversity of Minnesota.
I worked for Airmark actually,but I I ran um most of the
football stadium at for theUniversity of Minnesota.
(19:54):
And um I loved it.
I love sports and entertainment.
It was so much fun, but um Ithought it would be less
consuming than working in aclub.
It was 100% more consuming.
I did that for three years.
Yeah, it was so it was so crazybecause when I worked there, so
the Vikings were playing therewhen um US Bank Stadium was
(20:16):
under construction.
So we were one of the onlyfootball facilities in the
country that was going from NCAAfootball, flipping overnight to
NFL football.
And it takes like five days tobuild a football stadium to get
it ready for a game.
So we were doing it overnight in24 hours.
So we had the Vikings there fortwo years, followed obviously by
(20:38):
gopher games.
And then uh we were alsoresponsible for the hockey
arena, so um Mary UT Arena,which is now 3M at Mary UT.
We also had basketball, so I hadWilliams Arena, which both of
those are likeoff-premiscatering because
everything is is is made at thefootball stadium and then
trucked over to the other two.
(20:59):
So it's like satellite service.
We also had anything that wasdone for soccer, like at the
soccer stadiums.
Um, if there was a golftournament, you know, we were
driving box lunches over.
So it was nuts.
And then as soon as the Vikingsleft, Minnesota United started,
um, it was their inauguralseason because their stadium was
also under construction.
(21:20):
So there were two years of ofsoccer.
Um, so it never stopped.
It was so much fun.
It was so exciting, but it wasinsane.
So I did that for three yearsand then I moved back to golf
right away.
Uh but yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (21:35):
What what did you learn over?
Did you was there any like newthings you're like, like I want
to say, like you're we're alwayslearning, we're always growing.
But from going from clubs tothat, back to clubs, were there
any realizations, or was thereanything you're like, whoa, that
was unique, or were you able tobring anything different that
you saw that they did?
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
You're like, ooh, I can I can steal that a little
bit, and I can use that over inclubs, or like you know, yeah, I
think the thing, the two, thetwo big things that I took with
me from working in thatenvironment were with Airmark
being a corporate environment,there was uh I learned a lot
more about finance, honestly.
Because in clubs at the time, Ithink it was for me, it was more
(22:18):
about the accounting andlearning about forecasting,
KPIs.
It was the first time we'd evertalked about EBITDA, right?
It was the first time that termwas brought in.
Clubs weren't talking about thatat the time.
I don't, I don't even know ifwe're talking about it now.
We were, we were when I went tothe next club because the next
club was Club Corp or Invited.
(22:38):
Um, and so they were talkingabout EBITDA.
So to be able to take thatcorporate financial knowledge
and then bring it to my nextclub was was really important.
And now it's a language I speak.
Um that also helped when I whenI got my MBA, you know, to be
able to know that.
And so the financial acuitygrowth was huge working in a
corporate environment.
So I think that was reallyimportant.
(23:00):
And honestly, the other thingwas um the diversity in the
workforce was so much broaderworking in sports.
You know, when you bring in 600employees for a game day versus
having your core 20 or 30employees um at a club,
obviously in the summer seasonthat grows.
We hire 50 people just to workat our pool between servers and
(23:23):
bartenders for the summer.
Um, but when you're at a stadiumand you have so many, you know,
people and influx of managersand the diversity of the
workforce, that was really big.
And learning how to communicatein such a different way.
Um, you know, we were bringingin temporary staff, we were
bringing in volunteer staff.
(23:45):
All of the stands at thestadiums were volunteers.
Uh, and a lot of them arenonprofits, and so they're
raising money for theorganizations.
Um, a lot of them were um youthorganizations, so maybe it was a
dance team or um uh like asoftball team or something, and
they're raising money for theirgroup to go on these trips or to
(24:05):
for their dance competitions andthings like that.
So um it was so many differenttypes of of organizations and
programs that I thought that wasreally interesting and it's
really helped me when you'rewhen you're looking at um the
the club that I'm at now andbeing it's not a city club, but
it's in the heart of the city.
(24:26):
And so again, a really diversework group.
So I think I think that wasreally helpful.
I think a lot of clubs, youknow, that I've worked at have
been in Surubia.
And so it it's this it's it'svery uh I'm trying to think of
the right word, but it there'sit's just not a diverse work
group.
So I think bringing bringingthat to the table and and being
(24:49):
able to really think about thatmore clearly, uh, I think that
was really helpful.
So I definitely brought thingswith me from that and the
excitement and the energy andunderstanding what I'm drawn to
and and and that's you know,also put something else in my
pocket.
And we we talked about this withum with my second job.
(25:10):
Um, you know, I'm also aninstructor at a community
college.
And so one of the things that Italk about with my students when
they're coming to me looking forinternship ideas or things of
that nature, we often talkabout, you know, different um
different paths that they cantake.
(25:31):
And I really encourage people towork in sports.
I think it's such a fun resumebuilder.
It's it's really interesting.
So, because to take a step backfrom that, I'm always gonna
champion for private clubs.
It's my number one, I you know,I think beyond restaurants,
beyond hotels, private clubsoffer such a wonderful work
(25:55):
environment and such exposure.
And we can certainly go back andtalk about that.
But when we're talking aboutinternship opportunities, I
teach at a community college.
So there's not as many formalinternship programs available to
those students the way thatuniversities offer.
So when we're talking aboutwhere we should go or what what
(26:16):
kind of internships do you want,a lot of these students aren't
able to go out to the East Coastor go to Florida or go to where
all these really exciting umclub internships are.
They need to stay home, right?
They're working, they're helpingto support their families.
Um they they can't move, theycan't leave Minnesota.
SPEAKER_01 (26:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (26:36):
We have some, we have a lot of major sports teams
here.
We've got the Vikings, theTwins, the the Gophers,
Minnesota United.
I think that there's women'shockey now too.
I forget the name of that team,but there's all these
opportunities.
And when you're interviewing forpositions or you're sending your
resume out there and they seethese pro sports teams, that's
(26:56):
exciting and that's reallyinteresting.
If that's not just, I worked atDoubletree for a summer.
That's, you know, that that'sinteresting.
I can't think of a better word.
Um, and I think that could getyou an interview.
From there, it's up to you,obviously, to present yourself
well, to be well spoken, to beto be interesting on your own,
(27:17):
right?
But having some of those keythings on your resume as, yeah,
I worked for the twins for thisseason, or uh, even thinking
about some of our major marketevents that we've had.
We've had the Super Bowl, we'vehad Ryder Cup, we're gonna have
it again.
Um, we've got the KPMG, or wehad the KPMG.
Um, yeah, there was a, I forgetwhat it what it is, the golf
(27:40):
thing.
Um I think we've got a coupleother big golf events coming up.
We had the frozen floor, thefinal floor, like we've got all
these things.
Volunteer for those, get on, geton those um platforms or get on
to those events.
Um, I've been really fortunateto have, you know, people in my
life working on those events.
I let me connect you to thesepeople.
(28:01):
I've also worked at theseplaces.
Let me connect you.
I, you know, when I worked forthe for the University of
Minnesota or for Airmark, whenwe had the Vikings there, I've
I've been able to connect withsome of the Vikings employees or
with some of the MinnesotaUnited employees.
Can I, is there somebody I canconnect you to?
Some of them have now moved onto other places.
There was a gal that worked attown and country club where I
(28:25):
currently work, and she wasinterviewing for a role with
Special Olympics.
I'm like, oh, there's agentleman that worked for
Minnesota United who's now atSpecial Olympics.
Let me reach out to him for you,you know, and and let me make a
connection.
It doesn't mean you'll get thejob, but is there a support that
I can offer?
So it's it's the same thing withinternships.
Find something interesting thatis going to pique someone's
(28:47):
interest, get it on your resume,and then and then build that
connection, build additionalconnections on your own.
So it's something that I I tryto champion for.
Um, and and having had worked inthat sports and entertainment
industry, even briefly, theconnections are vast.
And the interest, you know, Ipromise that I it's it's I
(29:10):
promise that I've gotteninterviews because of that
experience.
I got to work with NBC Sports, Igot to work with Monday Night
Football, you know, I, you know,I because I delivered soup to
their trailer, you know, like itsounds so silly, but I met these
people, and every time thatMarty Cabelli from NBC Sports
(29:30):
came to town, the snow came withhim, and I texted him like,
dude, what are you doing to us?
You know, and it's this greatopportunity to connect with
somebody.
And that's the same thing withthe club business, right?
We connect with people.
So where does what does thatconnection look like?
How do you bring it to thetable?
How do you capitalize on it andand grow it?
(29:53):
So, I mean, I I obviouslyhaven't talked to him in years
now that I've been out of thatindustry, but golf is also
something.
Sports and entertainment.
It's just utilized in adifferent way.
So, you know, golf, privateclubs, you know, however you
however you look at it, it's allsports and entertainment.
So I think that there's thatthere's um a relationship that
(30:14):
you can build with that.
So if you want to work in clubs,work in clubs.
Absolutely work in clubs.
But if it's something thatyou've thought about before, my
my job as an instructor, as a asa um educator is to open doors
and open minds and and plantseeds.
So I'm gonna plant them.
I'm gonna plant them for privatefor private clubs.
(30:35):
I promise.
In the classroom, these kids areprobably, or these students are
probably sick of listening to myexamples about clubs.
They want to hear about you knowabout big restaurants and hotels
and they want to travel theworld.
And you can do that with clubsas well.
But let's let's get your foot inthe door.
You know, and your foot is gonnabe in the door because they want
to listen to the experiencesthat you've had.
SPEAKER_02 (30:56):
Yeah.
And if they can document thoseexperiences now with you know
LinkedIn and other platforms asas as well, people are
constantly looking for talent inthose places.
So if you can document thejourney and start, you know,
writing well on LinkedIn anddecent posts and absolutely.
(31:17):
People are always watching, andand now we're all connected more
than ever.
So it's easier to get somethingsomeplace else because of what's
built.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:27):
Yeah, I'm trying to tell my daughter that even with
her.
She's like, Do I need a resume?
I'm like, Yes.
Yes, you have to have a resume.
Well, will you write it?
Oh my gosh.
No, no, no.
But I can't.
Yeah, why use AI.
Um, just put some bullets, putit in there, and then make sure
it doesn't sound like an87-year-old wrote it.
You know, make sure that itsounds like you wrote it.
(31:50):
Um, but yes, and you needLinkedIn.
It's the same thing with my son.
He also works in golf.
Um, he works at a country clubhere in Minnesota.
He's a equipment manager.
But um, but yeah, same thing.
You need a resume, you needLinkedIn, you need to connect
with people, you need to startbuilding this for yourself
because it it's it's soimportant.
It's so important.
(32:11):
I don't know if they get that.
They're still on, they stillthink that an employer is gonna
find them on Snapchat.
SPEAKER_02 (32:17):
So you know, it probably is only a matter of
time.
Yeah, maybe it's it we'reprobably we're probably still
about 10 more years.
SPEAKER_00 (32:24):
I maybe.
I don't know.
She's in Phoenix and she'sapplying for jobs, but she's
using her Minnesota address.
I'm like, well, no wonder noone's calling you.
They're not gonna help yourelocate, but they don't re you
know, she's already there.
So I'm like, you got it.
Use your current address inPhoenix.
Good goodness, I don't know.
I'm trying.
Like, I'm not calling anybodyfor you.
I'm not gonna call them.
(32:46):
I'll tell you where to apply.
I will tell I'll help you findsome clubs near your apartment,
but I'm not I'm not reaching outfor you.
You've got to do this byyourself.
SPEAKER_02 (32:55):
Talking about the the kids in the school and
teaching, where what do you seein that world, in that
environment?
What are they struggling with?
What are their hesitations, youknow, when they're looking at
the hospitality world?
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
Yeah, you know, I don't know, I don't know what
they're concerned about, butwhat I'm concerned about is that
they're not showing up inperson.
Everything is online and behinda screen.
And I think my biggest concern,and we've talked about this um,
you know, with otherinstructors, hospitality is an
(33:29):
in-person business.
It is not an online business.
So, you know, most of my courseshave moved online because
enrollment, enrollment was downfor in-person.
So when I first started teachingfour years ago, my courses were
you could you could choose ifyou wanted to be in person or
online.
And so I would have maybe 10students in person and 10
(33:53):
online.
And the 10 in person, it woulddwindle down every week, and I'd
have two showing up in class andeverybody else just completing
their stuff and turning it in.
And it was hard because youcan't have quality discussion.
So, even, you know, how I saidthat, you know, all of my
examples when we're talkingabout things in class were club
examples.
(34:14):
Um, but you you can't havequality discussion and quality
conversation with two people inthe room.
I mean, those two people arehaving a great conversation, but
no one else is getting thatinteraction.
And so my my worry is that withso many students doing doing
classes online, and and let'slet's be honest, like when when
(34:34):
everyone's went to online highschool and college during COVID,
it's impossible now to gobackwards and say, well, we
expected you to still beeducated during COVID and we
expected you to stillparticipate online, but now
we're gonna make you do it inperson.
It's hard to go backwards,right?
It's hard to transition back.
But if you want to work inhospitality in any capacity,
(34:59):
clubs, hotels, restaurants, youknow, luxury travel, whatever
you want to do, it's still anin-person job, right?
Like you still have to buildrelationships, you still have to
be of service.
You can't deliver someone's foodfrom home.
Like you can't do it.
And we can talk about, I mean,they were just talking about
(35:20):
this.
Um we were at LLC um in DC andthey were talking about you know
the robot servers and whatever.
I'd be sure you can do that, um,but not really, right?
I mean, the robot can't, youknow, welcome Mr.
Jones to the club in in aprofound way that makes him feel
welcomed and makes him feelneeded.
(35:40):
You you can't do that.
So that's I think my biggestworry is I think there's so many
young people that are having ahard time connecting with each
other and with other people.
So I think that's that's myworry in general, whether you're
a student or you're finishingschool, uh, there's so many
(36:02):
people have a hard timecommunicating.
I mean, you and I arecommunicating now digitally, but
we met in person, right?
Like I met you where were wherewere we?
Chicago.
I met you in person.
SPEAKER_02 (36:13):
So uh MREF.
SPEAKER_00 (36:14):
Yeah, so like you you can establish a connection
and then you can continue toperpetuate it digitally.
Uh, but I'm sure I'll see youagain in person at some point,
hopefully in Anaheim.
But uh, you know, well you can'tyou can't only form these bonds
on the internet and you know,through through Snapchat or
TikTok or or whatever it is.
(36:36):
So I think that's my biggestconcern is as these young people
are entering industry, you theyjust they they have to be able
to be in person.
And I'm really worried aboutthat.
So I even when you're talkingabout internships and um, you
know, getting themselves outthere, I I struggle with it,
(36:58):
right?
I struggle.
I I have anxiety when we're inbig groups.
It's it's I was thinking aboutthis when I was I was driving um
to the you know, I'm I'm in thislike rented office space.
I didn't want to talk to you umat my house because my husband
works from home and he's just aconstant like interloper into
(37:20):
whatever space I'm in.
Um so I was thinking about thisdriving in here and how how much
anxiety I have when I'm in largegroups.
And we were at LLC and and I'mat this table of people for
dinner that I knew nobody atthis table besides my husband.
And I was sitting at the table,not talking to people because
(37:43):
I'm not good at that when it'snot my space.
But my husband is, you know,like, hi, I'm Jason, and he's
talking to everybody, andeveryone thought I was the
spouse.
And so they're asking, like,well, what club are you at?
And I'm like, oh no, no, I'mjust the spouse.
I'm just the guest, she's theone that's at the club, she's
the chapter president, becausethat's what you know, LLC is the
managing directors and chapterleadership and whatever.
(38:06):
And they're like, Oh, oh, well,what club are you at?
You know, and so then I have tostart talking to people.
And so even though I'm in thisindustry and and I have this
job, I still have these problemsthat I have to deal with and
overcome.
And it's and it's the you know,the problems of of having um,
you know, nervousness in socialsettings or meeting new people.
(38:29):
And so I understand, you know,what the students are challenged
with that are spending theirlives behind their phones.
I I get it, but you still haveto do it and you still have to
get out there.
And the longer you wait to doit, the worse it is.
So when I started the positionthat I'm in now, I'm like, okay,
(38:49):
if I'm gonna make this work andI'm gonna be successful and I'm
gonna really make a place formyself in this club, I'm gonna
have to talk to these people.
So it's like every night for thefirst month, I went to every
single table.
Okay, I'm Bridget, I'm the newassistant general manager.
I wanted to make sure Iintroduced myself to you and you
know, like, oh, this is great tomeet you.
It's like I purposely put myselflike I I knew under my shirt,
(39:13):
like I'm breaking out in hives,I'm probably splotchy, I'm sure
my ears are red, you know, likeit truly makes me uncomfortable.
But then last night at thisquarter century dinner, I'm
working the room and I'm fine,I'm I'm comfortable because I
know these people.
So you have to put yourself inthese positions and you have to
be out there and you have to beconfident with yourself, and
(39:36):
you're not going to do that ifyou don't get out from behind
the screen.
So that's my biggest worry withthis next group of people coming
out, um, you know, coming intoum industry and whatever
industry they're in, you know,but especially hospitality is
that I'm just so worried that umI'm so worried that they're
(39:58):
gonna be so uncomfortablecommunicating in person with
people that it's that they'regonna struggle.
So we'll see.
Hopefully the ones that reallywant it are gonna charge right
through that.
And maybe the universities aredifferent, you know, because
again, I'm at a communitycollege, and so maybe
universities are differentbecause they're taking more
(40:19):
in-person classes, and so maybethat's where the hospitality
students are at.
I mean, I again I'm teachinghospitality courses.
I mean, it's business andhospitality, but and maybe
again, maybe it's differentbecause I'm at a community
college and they can they Idon't know.
I mean, I I know universitiesalso offer online courses, but
(40:40):
and maybe yeah, maybe it's justthe demographic of of the
student that I have, but that'sthat's just my concern with who
I'm teaching.
Um but you never know.
But yeah, I think there's somany wonderful students that are
coming through these programs.
I mean, I work with thestudents, I don't work with them
directly, but the students atStout.
And we're hosting um studentscoming up on the uh 13th,
(41:02):
October 13th at our club.
And I'm so excited because we Iwas on a panel last year.
I think that maybe we were atinterlocking, I can't remember,
but they were engaged, they wereasking questions, it was so fun.
So, so yeah, maybe it's themaybe it's the students that I
have.
Maybe it's me.
(41:23):
You never know.
But I'm excited.
I mean, there's definitely, youknow, different programs out
there, but I'm either way, I'veI've had some wonderful students
um work, you know, that haveworked at our club that have
gone through and you see themout in the world doing great
things.
Um, the programs are wonderful.
There, there's great internshipsout there.
(41:45):
Um so we'll see.
But I I just worry about aboutyou know it being such a such a
strong need to be in person.
Hospitality is an in-personbusiness, and I worry about the
online courses clouding that.
SPEAKER_02 (42:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (42:02):
So we'll see.
SPEAKER_02 (42:04):
Yeah.
What you know, you've you'vedone a lot in your career.
Different, you know, roles,positions, different, you know,
from different points of view,uh, for different reasons.
You know, looking back so far,and you you have so much you
want to do still and are goingto do, but like looking back,
what what are you most proud of?
Like looking back on everything,like what what makes you the
(42:24):
happiest?
What what are you most proud ofin your career so far?
SPEAKER_00 (42:29):
Gosh, that's such a hard question.
Cause I don't know.
I think I think some of themlike there's there's
accomplishments that I've hadthat I'm really proud of.
And then there's likeaccomplishments of others that
I'm really proud of, right?
So for myself, I'm I'm so proudthat I was able to um raise my
(42:51):
family and and still stay in theindustry.
Like I do see so many um youngwomen start in the industry and
then dip out because thepressures of work and family can
be really great.
Um, I, you know, sometimes it'shard to feel like you're your
best self at work and at home.
So I'm so thankful that um, youknow, again, my husband is he's
(43:16):
he's such a good dad.
And he was, you know, he's sofun.
And um, you know, we we wereable to balance our our lives in
a way like it's never balanced,right?
Like, and everyone talks aboutthat work-life balance.
It's never balanced, but I wasable to always like I've always
had great um people that Iworked for where, like, hey, I
(43:37):
need a dip.
My daughter's in this cheercompetition.
She is the she's only on stagefor two and a half minutes.
I just need to make sure shesees me there, right?
And so I'm gonna go, I'm gonnawatch her, and I'm gonna be
back.
So I've all it's always beengreat that I could do things
like that.
Um, my son played a bunch ofdifferent sports.
(43:58):
So again, same thing.
Like, I'm gonna go watch this,I'll be back.
Um, so to be able to do thingslike that, and you know, I
always worked at night, heworked during the day, I was in
my kids' classrooms during theday.
Like there were just things thatI so genuinely appreciate so
that I felt like I was able tobe the kind of parent that I
wanted to be and also the kindof leader that I wanted to be.
(44:21):
Um, so I'm I'm really proud ofthat.
Uh, you know, we didn't reallytalk about this, but you know,
my education was a long, twisty,windy road.
I always share that with mystudents.
Um, I started college in 1995and I finished college in I
think 2010.
You know, I was in and out ofschool.
(44:43):
It took me forever.
But part of it too was because Ididn't go to school until I
figured out what I really loveto do.
So um I was on the 15-yearcollege plan.
SPEAKER_02 (44:53):
Um, but super, super, super, super senior.
unknown (44:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (44:57):
Senior.
What?
Um, so but you know, like I didwhat I needed to do when I
needed to do it.
And I ultimately, you know, Iwent to Stout.
I have a degree in golfenterprise management.
And then I got an MBA and I didall of this stuff while my kids
were toddlers and elementaryschool kids and um middle
schoolers.
Like, I'm I'm so proud that Iwas able to reach my education
(45:19):
goals when I reached them.
That it, you know, I mean, I wasworking 60 hours a week, I was
going to school, I was gettingthis stuff done.
Like, I'm so proud of thosethings because education's
really important to me.
I just didn't know it until, youknow, I was old.
Um, so I'm so proud of thosekind of things and that I've
achieved the things I want toachieve.
And and also, you know, doingthe CCM stuff and like all of
(45:43):
the things that I was able to dowhile raising a family and
working in club management,right?
Like all of those things.
I don't know, I don't, I don'tknow how I did all of that
stuff.
So so exciting about that.
Um, and then like the pride thatI have in other people.
Um, you know, again, the peoplethat have worked for me, the
people that have worked with me.
(46:03):
It's so exciting to, again, I II've I said this earlier,
watching um people, and most ofthem don't even work in clubs,
right?
Totally fine.
But getting to watch people thathave worked for me develop who
they are as people.
Um, I think of one gentleman inparticular, and I hope that he
hears this.
Um, but his name is Ivan.
(46:24):
And Ivan came to work for me.
Um, it was so funny because hishis girlfriend at the time
worked for me.
She was a server, and this thisguy came in and he was like the
bouncer at a club event.
So he was checking IDs for abeer tent, and it was like a day
job, right?
He just came in and worked forus for one day.
(46:44):
We paid him cash, and then he hestarted showing up more and
more.
And and so I don't even rememberwhat he was doing at the club,
if he was bartending or servingor whatever, but he worked there
for a while, and then he camewith me to the next club, and
then he came to me, came with meto the next club, and and then
the next, right?
Like I think he worked with meat four, maybe four clubs.
(47:05):
He was I don't know, a coupleclubs.
Um, and then he ended up workingum with the PGA um during Ryder
Cup, and then that turned intoworking um with the Super Bowl,
and then that turned intoworking with I think the Final
Four.
Um, then he worked for MinnesotaUnited.
(47:25):
I mean, he's gone on and doneall these amazing things, and
it's connections that he madewhile working at clubs that we
worked together.
Um, he just transitioned out ofsports, and I think he's I
forget what position he has now.
Um, he got married to the girl.
They have a beautiful family.
Um he's one of the best peoplethat I know.
(47:46):
Like he's just such a goodhuman.
And um, and his wife's name isAshley, she's a teacher.
Um, but they're just they'regreat people, they have a great
family, and to watch them gofrom this young couple to this
married couple, building theirfamily, growing their careers,
like it's gonna make meemotional, but to like to be
(48:08):
able to watch this family growfrom just these two people that
were in college, that um I lovethat, and I'm so proud of him as
a human, as a man.
Um he's just a good person.
And so to be able to have thesekind of people in my life, I
love that.
Like, you know, there were timeswhere he'd call, he's like,
(48:28):
Britain, I'm thinking about thisjob, and you know, I'm not sure
about it.
And like, and I forget what theposition was, but I'm like, do
you even like that sport?
Like, why are like why are youwhy are you thinking about it?
You know, and he's like, well,and I don't remember what it
was, um, what his reasons were.
And I'm like, Ivan, do you evenwant this job?
(48:49):
He's like, I don't think so.
I'm like, then why are wetalking about this?
You know, so it's like he wasasking me like career questions
or life questions and andwhatever.
And it's just like, I love that.
Like, I love that we have thatrelationship.
And that was just because of ajob, because he was like this
bouncer at this like tent partythat we had, you know?
Um, so that's so I'm so proud ofthat.
(49:11):
And I'm so proud that I haverelationships like that with my
employees.
There's another gal that workedfor me at a club, and um, she
ended up leaving.
There was a conflict, you know,with that with an employee, and
and she's gone on to have acouple different positions.
We just checked in with eachother the other day.
I love that.
She's not, again, she's not at aclub anymore.
I think she's at a hotel.
Um, but it's just theserelationships that I'm so proud
(49:34):
of.
So I I couldn't ask for anythingbetter.
Like, I think that that speaksso much to um the kind of
manager that I am.
I love that.
I just love that.
SPEAKER_01 (49:46):
So I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (49:48):
That I'm I'm more proud of that than any of the
degrees and jobs and you know,credentials or whatever.
Like, I mean, I I want thatstuff too, don't get me wrong.
But I just want to be a goodperson and I want to be a good
manager, and I want people tolook back on our time together
and be like, oh, she was justshe was not a jerk.
You know, like she's a goodhuman too.
(50:08):
Like, I want to be a goodperson, a good human.
So I'm so proud of that.
SPEAKER_02 (50:12):
Yeah, which is a really good goal.
And I feel like a lot morepeople need a simple goal like
that.
SPEAKER_00 (50:16):
Like, which is my boss did suck.
SPEAKER_02 (50:21):
They weren't a jerk.
Actually, tried to help.
SPEAKER_00 (50:24):
Yeah, something, something like that.
SPEAKER_02 (50:27):
Bridget, thank you so much for coming on.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for coming onand sharing.
SPEAKER_00 (50:31):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02 (50:34):
Hope you all enjoyed that.
Bridget, thank you so much forcoming on and sharing and all
that you do for the youths andhelping out in your communities
and trying to bring the best ofthe best to the club space.
I'm your host, Denny Corby.
That's this episode.
Until next time.
Catch y'all on the flippityflip.
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
(00:02):
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, ever engagement
secrets, board governance, andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteran,just getting your feet wet, or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
I'm your host, Denny Corby.
(00:22):
Welcome to the show.
In this episode, we are hangingout with Bridget Ecker, CCM, AGM
of Town and Country Club inMinnesota.
And her journey, let's just sayit starts with circus pizza and
being Bumper the Clown andending up at one of the most
respected clubs in the state.
You see, her story is all aboutheart, hustle, and staying human
(00:44):
in hospitality.
And she has done it all.
Server, banquet manager,catering director, stadium
operations, club leadership.
And she'll tell you straight upevery weird job, every long day,
every experience, every latenight banquet has taught her
something that teaches her howto show up and how she leads,
(01:05):
even to this day.
And in this episode, we talkabout why she never still feels
like she's at work.
Even after 25 years in the cluband hospitality game, we dive
into what she learned fromjumping from private clubs to
the University of Minnesotafootball stadium.
Yes, where she's worked with theVikings and the Gopher games,
(01:25):
and how she also pushes herstudents, because she's also a
teacher and educator as well, tochase internships that stand
out.
Internships and things that makeyou stand out on paper, that
give you a little bit of thatedge, that sparks a conversation
that makes people go, really,tell me more about that.
What was that like?
You know, just uniqueinternships instead of just
(01:48):
maybe settling for a normalhotel gig.
Bridget's got this incrediblemix of warmth, wisdom, and
realness.
And you'll hear how she balancesleadership, teaching,
motherhood, and somehow stillfinds joy in all of the chaos.
And I think one of my favoritelines from this one is she said,
I just want people to look backand say she wasn't a jerk.
(02:10):
She was just a good human.
And honestly, that might just bethe best goal all of us can
have.
So settle in.
This is a great episode.
Big thanks to some of our showpartners.
We really appreciate all oftheir support here on the
channel.
I also want to give myself aquick little shout out, the
Denny Corby Experience.
We are now booking into 2026.
(02:33):
If you or your club is lookingto have one of the most fun
member event nights, holler atme.
The Denny Corby Experience.
There's excitement, there'smystery, also there's magic,
mind reading, and comedy, a tonof laughs, gasps, and holy
craps.
Learn more, dennycorby.com.
Enough about that though.
Let's get to the episode.
Private club radio listeners.
Let's welcome to the show,Bridget Eckert.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
We also had our first ever quarter century club.
So anyone that had been a memberfor 25 years or more, we had
people in the room.
One gentleman had been there forI think like 65 years.
He'd been a member at the club.
So he's also our oldest member.
Um, but so we had both of thoseevents simultaneously.
(03:16):
Yesterday, um, we're also, youknow, most of our staff are gone
because of school.
So trying to execute all thesethings um at the same time.
So um it was a long day, but itwas so fun.
And these members were tellingsome of the craziest stories,
and um, you know, all thepresidents, all the past
presidents stand up.
(03:37):
And then one of the women in theroom, she's like, you know, I
was the first club, you know,female club president.
I'm like, does anyone know that?
We should talk about this.
Um, and then the piano playerthat we had, he's like, you
know, I've been playing here for38 years.
Like, really?
It's like, yep, I was incollege.
And George Carroll, who's uh,you know, kind of a storied club
(03:57):
manager in our market, um, he'slike, Well, George was here and
and he's like, Hey, kid, you gotany business cards?
He's like, I don't.
He's like, Well, how much do youcharge?
He's like, I don't know, howmuch do you want to pay me?
And he's been playing there eversince.
So, you know, just things likethat.
So it was so fun to hear some ofthose stories.
And it was just that was a greatnight, but in general, it's
just, you know, trying to getthe weather, um, you know,
(04:20):
having having these beautifulsummer evenings when it's not
even summer anymore, and themembers just love it, and
getting all the extra use out ofthe patio.
And if there's a if there's abeautiful day in Minnesota,
we're outside.
SPEAKER_02 (04:33):
So real real quick, can you go, can you dive into
those two events?
Those sounded like a lot of fun.
Well, so the the superintendentsre-revenge.
SPEAKER_00 (04:43):
Yeah, it's an annual event.
I think a lot of clubs do it,but it's you know, they make the
course a little complicated.
You're a teen off um uh on arandom spot on the golf course.
It's not the T-Box.
Your your pin placements arereally difficult.
If you don't land in the rightplace, you're never gonna get
par, uh, things like that.
(05:04):
So they just really make itdifficult.
We do another one called crosscountry.
So you might start on hole oneand then maybe instead of going
to two, you're, you know, itmakes more sense to go to five
or things like that.
So it's really just about, Idon't want to say sticking it to
the member because that's notwhat the intent is, but it's
it's really playing the coursein such an abnormal, um, yeah,
(05:28):
you know, unnatural way.
And, you know, one member teedoff and then they're driving the
carts over the curbs, you know.
I'm like, what are you doing?
He's like, I didn't mean to, butit seems like that's the way
we're supposed to go.
I'm like, well, everyone elsewas going this way.
Um but you know, it's it's likeit's just it's just they're
(05:48):
playing the course in in almostlike a putt-putt way, right?
Like just really nonsensical.
And it throws them off.
And the what this one group theywere they were putting out on
18.
I had I was in the halfwayhouse, you know, I didn't have
anyone for the afternoon.
And so I'm like, I'm gonna sitout there.
You see everything, andeveryone's walking around, like,
(06:09):
what are you doing here?
I'm like, I'm watching you, youknow.
Um, but they finished off on 18and they got a birdie, and
they're they were so excitedbecause again, this pin
placement was just difficult.
So just just to watch them be soexcited about about this this
hole.
And one of the Bevcourt girlshad stopped by and she's like,
(06:32):
Congratulations on your birdie,whoever got that.
And they're like, Oh no, ourteam got this.
This is a this is a team event.
And they were just so excited toplay, and it's six sums.
So, you know, they make theirown teams and they're having
fun, and it's just it's justgreat, you know, to you know,
the golf, golf can be serious,right?
It, you know, yeah, even evenwhen you're just playing with
(06:54):
your friends, like it can beserious.
They're they're playing formoney on holes and they're
they're having a good time, butbut some of the players are a
little extra sometimes.
And so when you see thesemembers just having a blast, and
you know that the superintendenthad a great time putting the
course together and reallytrying to make it complicated on
(07:14):
one hole or really fun andstrange on another hole.
It's just so much fun to watchthese members play.
And then, you know, they hadthey had lunch to the so the
ladies played in the morning,then they had a joint lunch.
So the lady golfers finished,the men had lunch, and then they
were going out, and then theyhad appetizers after, and then
they transitioned right into thequarter century club.
(07:36):
So some members were they haddouble duty, they were there
from 11 a.m.
to 10 p.m.
They made a day of it.
So it was just a great day atthe club yesterday.
SPEAKER_02 (07:47):
And then as as Lee and man, I this is so this is
what it feels like to work here.
All the staff is like, oh,welcome.
Yeah all day.
So oops, I'm just gonna thinkabout that.
It's so cool.
SPEAKER_00 (08:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:00):
And and and you have a unique start to the whole
thing, you know, because what weyou were telling uh you were 15
uh uh uh bus and tables atcircus pizza.
You you were a clown.
You know, what what did thoseearly jobs teach you that still
maybe shows up in your sure inyour work today and how you lead
(08:21):
and how you sure.
SPEAKER_00 (08:23):
I mean, I think first and foremost, it it was
teamwork, right?
It's you know, coming togetheras a group of people and and
really I mean, busting a table,it's that's not your only job,
right?
You're you're stepping in andhelping somebody else, you're
keeping the flow going so thatthe next family can come in.
(08:45):
So I think part of it, the thefirst and foremost was teamwork,
it was collegiality, it was youknow, getting getting the to to
to make friends and buildrelationships.
So that's such an earlyintroduction to what hospitality
is.
Um things that have really stuckwith me, I would say um it's I
(09:08):
mean, honestly, it's it's somuch of it is is relationship
building, whether it'srelationship within your
coworkers, relationships withthe people that you're tending
to.
Um I think one of the thingsthat you know has kept me in
clubs specifically, and I thinkyou find this in restaurants,
but it's you know, restaurants,it's regulars, right?
(09:30):
You get the same guys that comein and sit at the bar on
Wednesday nights, or you havethe same family that comes in
for dinner on a Sunday orwhatnot.
And you definitely see that inrestaurants.
That's where I started, right?
I sp I was in restaurants untilI was maybe 24 or 25.
It's something that I've alwaysdone.
But then when you get to clubsand you're seeing families and
(09:51):
you see them grow and change,and you're meeting the
grandchildren for, you know, theholidays, and you're meeting the
extended families, and this ismy sister, and she's in town
from California, or my parentsare here.
They haven't been here for fouryears.
We're excited to have them andwhatnot.
It's it's these bonding thingsthat happen.
And, you know, I had so my firstclub I was at uh was Lafayette
(10:16):
Club on this huge lake inMinnesota.
It's it's it's a big lake in theWest Metro.
And and there's um this onefamily that I remember in
particular, and they their thethe the wife, they had she had a
baby, and we we had children atthe same time.
And ultimately our boys went toschool together and grew up
(10:36):
together and graduated together,and they they they both went out
to Montana to go to school andchase their snowboard dreams.
And, you know, as you watchthese families grow and morph,
and I left the club, right?
I mean, I I I think I'm I wasthere for seven years.
And so people, you know, enterand exit your lives at different
(10:57):
times, but the club community isis is really small.
You don't realize how small itis, and then all of a sudden you
see somebody 15 years later andtheir children are adults and
and now they have children oftheir own and and you're kind of
brought back into the fold ofthings in a different capacity,
but it's so relationship driven.
And what you find, you know, asa young person working in
(11:20):
hospitality, you think thatpeople are are coming and going,
you know, I'm never gonna seethese people again, and who
cares, and and whatever.
And and it's so not true, right?
They they come back to yourlives in different capacities
and and you might not know it atthat time, but and I I just
think it's it's it's such a giftto watch families grow and
change.
(11:41):
I see it with staff as well.
I same club, you know, back tomy first club.
There was, you know, gals thatthat worked for me, they were
you know just graduating highschool, and and you see them go
through their college career,they go off into the world and
they get jobs, and then they getmarried and they're starting to
have families.
And you know, you follow, andnow with social media, I see
(12:03):
them on on Facebook orInstagram, and they have
children.
I run into them at the bar, um,you know, things like that.
And it's just like you just itit's just this connectivity that
you have.
And so from from day one to 2781or whatever it is, I mean, you
just you know, it's it thingsjust come back to you in a way
(12:25):
that you never expect.
So I love that.
And whether again it's employeesor members, their families,
their extended families, theirfriends, they they come back.
We just I saw a member at thebar um last weekend.
And they had left the club, theymoved out east, and they just
rejoined.
(12:45):
They were just voted, I thinkthey were just voted back in um
at the board meeting last week.
But he, you know, he saw him,he's like, Hey Bridget, we're
excited to come back.
We can't wait to see you again.
I'm like, I know I just saw Isaw your name.
I knew trouble was back on theway.
We're really excited.
This is gonna be fun.
I can't wait.
Um, you know, I still remember.
I remember you dancing.
(13:06):
I remember you dancing at thatat that golf event, and I may or
may not have a picture of that.
Um, you know, but it's just it'sso fun, and I just I love it.
I just love the relationships.
So, you know, to thinking backto that those early times, those
early, those early jobs, andreally being able to talk to
(13:27):
people and to get to know them,and it's just different.
You know, the restaurants aretransient and and and clubs are
not, and I just I love that.
SPEAKER_02 (13:36):
Yeah, I feel I feel like a lot of the people who I
talk to who have like goodpeople skills and things of that
nature, it's you know, they theycome from the trenches.
It's like they come from like alike you've worked the weird
jobs.
You did like the weird stuffearly on.
Like you were you're like, whatam I doing here?
(13:56):
But yeah, you know, lookingback, you're like, that's
probably like the best learningexperience in the entire world.
SPEAKER_00 (14:01):
Yeah, I mean, I didn't just like go to college
and wake up and be a manager,right?
I mean, I've been a busser, aserver, a host, a bartender, a
dishwasher, the clown at thecircus thing, you know, the
bumper, the clown.
We had to do parades and ohgosh, I'll never forget.
We were at, so they would rentthis clown out, and I would go
(14:23):
be in parades, or there was oneevent.
We were at a church.
It was like a church festival,like a little carnival.
And we always had like a personwith us.
So it was my best friend fromhigh school.
And we're we're goofing around.
I who knows what silliness wewere doing.
But I tripped and the head fallsoff, and it's you know, we're
(14:44):
laughing, the head's on thefloor.
I, you know, I mean, I thinkwe're in a back hallway.
So like thankfully, I don'tthink there were any kids
around, but just this wholeidea, like we were so
irresponsible and just silly andjust, you know, like we're
getting paid for this.
Who knows why they were payingus?
But, you know, like you're justyou're so you're just being
silly and having fun, and likepeople are getting paid to do
(15:05):
these things.
I still feel the same way,right?
I'm almost 50 years old, andpeople are still paying me to do
this for a job.
It's insanity.
You know, I was just talking tomy daughter.
My daughter's 21, she's incollege, and she's changed her
major for the 187th time, andshe wants to, she wants to work
in hospitality, she wants towork in clubs.
She has worked at most of theclubs that I work at.
(15:27):
Uh, I'm really excited aboutthat.
But we were having aconversation because I'm like,
okay, really, let's talk aboutthis.
Because I don't know if youreally like people.
And she's telling me, she'slike, no, here's why I want to
do this.
And in this conversation, we'retalking and I'm listening to
her, and I'm like, okay, I Ibelieve her now.
I, you know, I think this isgonna be okay.
But but we're talking about it,and I'm explaining to her, I'm
(15:49):
like, listen, I never feel likeI'm at work, right?
I never feel like I'm working.
I mean, certainly there'smoments like yesterday when I'm
there from 7 a.m.
to you know 8 p.m.
And it's a long day, my feethurt, but I I never feel like
I'm working, you know.
I'm having fun.
I'm I'm always at a party.
It might not be my party, and Imight not be partaking in the
(16:09):
party activities, but I'm at aparty, I'm talking to people,
I'm I'm creating these moments,I'm doing these things.
So, you know, I I I never feellike it's like that big of a
deal.
And I can't believe they pay meall this money to do this.
So if you can find that, likewhat a special thing.
You know, everyone talks aboutthat.
How can how can you get paid todo something that you love to
(16:30):
do?
And I've always felt that way.
So whether it's, you know,having your clown head roll down
the hallway or you know, you'reshaking hands and and talking to
people and engaging andlistening to them tell you how
wonderful of a night they'rehaving.
What a gift, you know, to beable to do that.
So I love it.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
Yeah.
And and and you've done a lot ofpositions also, like not just
you know, like in the club.
So in terms, like, you know,what like a HR at one point?
You've done some account, likeyou've done like a little bit of
everything.
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
Not HR.
No, so I have been catering, uh,member dining, um, banquet
manager.
I I mean I've done a lot ofdifferent things.
Um, I fill in, I've helped outin different capacities.
Um, but yeah, I'm currently anassistant general manager.
So I, you know, I have a plan, Ihave a path that I'd like to
(17:23):
take.
But I started out as anassistant dining manager at um
at my first club.
I was a front desk.
Actually, I always forget aboutthis job.
It's the only one, it's the onlyone that um they didn't let me
stay.
Um, it was a long time ago.
I think I was 20 or 21 yearsold.
But um, I was a receptionist ata club.
(17:46):
And um, but yeah, I've so I'vebeen a receptionist, I've been
um assistant dining manager, abanquet manager, a catering
assistant, catering director.
So I've done a lot of differentthings, but you know, a lot of
the positions that I took werereally meant for me to fill a
gap in knowledge.
I really wanted to learn, Iwanted to be a well-rounded club
(18:07):
manager.
Um, they were also positionsthat I took that fit different
needs within my family atdifferent times.
So, you know, again, with havingchildren, it's sometimes hard to
be able to work every night,weekend, and holiday.
And so they were differentmoments in time.
For example, when I was acatering director um at one of
my clubs, it was a salesposition.
(18:29):
It was a Monday through Fridayjob.
I didn't have to be there forall the events.
So it was it was the right timein my family, you know.
I think my kids were maybemiddle school, high school.
They were high school becauseactually I left there um right
around um COVID, right afterCOVID.
So 21, I think is when I leftand what type of club I'm
currently at.
(18:50):
So my kids were in high school.
My son graduated in 2020.
So um it was, you know, I didn'twant to miss all the the games
and the dances and the drama andall that kind of stuff.
So I went to a position thatallowed me to have the presence
that I wanted to have at home.
So different, different stepsfor different purposes.
But you know, when I when it wasthe right time and and the needs
(19:13):
of my family um adjusted, I wentright back into the operational
operations fire, if you will.
Um, and that's what put me inthe position I'm in now.
So I love it.
SPEAKER_02 (19:24):
And all within clubs, which is which is cool
and neat.
And still keeping like your footin there and and yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
Absolutely.
I can't get away.
I tried.
I was at I I left one of myclubs and took a break.
I took the summer off and then Iwent into um football actually.
I was at a stadium, one of theUniversity of Minnesota.
I worked for Airmark actually,but I I ran um most of the
football stadium at for theUniversity of Minnesota.
(19:54):
And um I loved it.
I love sports and entertainment.
It was so much fun, but um Ithought it would be less
consuming than working in aclub.
It was 100% more consuming.
I did that for three years.
Yeah, it was so it was so crazybecause when I worked there, so
the Vikings were playing therewhen um US Bank Stadium was
(20:16):
under construction.
So we were one of the onlyfootball facilities in the
country that was going from NCAAfootball, flipping overnight to
NFL football.
And it takes like five days tobuild a football stadium to get
it ready for a game.
So we were doing it overnight in24 hours.
So we had the Vikings there fortwo years, followed obviously by
(20:38):
gopher games.
And then uh we were alsoresponsible for the hockey
arena, so um Mary UT Arena,which is now 3M at Mary UT.
We also had basketball, so I hadWilliams Arena, which both of
those are likeoff-premiscatering because
everything is is is made at thefootball stadium and then
trucked over to the other two.
(20:59):
So it's like satellite service.
We also had anything that wasdone for soccer, like at the
soccer stadiums.
Um, if there was a golftournament, you know, we were
driving box lunches over.
So it was nuts.
And then as soon as the Vikingsleft, Minnesota United started,
um, it was their inauguralseason because their stadium was
also under construction.
(21:20):
So there were two years of ofsoccer.
Um, so it never stopped.
It was so much fun.
It was so exciting, but it wasinsane.
So I did that for three yearsand then I moved back to golf
right away.
Uh but yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (21:35):
What what did you learn over?
Did you was there any like newthings you're like, like I want
to say, like you're we're alwayslearning, we're always growing.
But from going from clubs tothat, back to clubs, were there
any realizations, or was thereanything you're like, whoa, that
was unique, or were you able tobring anything different that
you saw that they did?
SPEAKER_00 (21:55):
You're like, ooh, I can I can steal that a little
bit, and I can use that over inclubs, or like you know, yeah, I
think the thing, the two, thetwo big things that I took with
me from working in thatenvironment were with Airmark
being a corporate environment,there was uh I learned a lot
more about finance, honestly.
Because in clubs at the time, Ithink it was for me, it was more
(22:18):
about the accounting andlearning about forecasting,
KPIs.
It was the first time we'd evertalked about EBITDA, right?
It was the first time that termwas brought in.
Clubs weren't talking about thatat the time.
I don't, I don't even know ifwe're talking about it now.
We were, we were when I went tothe next club because the next
club was Club Corp or Invited.
(22:38):
Um, and so they were talkingabout EBITDA.
So to be able to take thatcorporate financial knowledge
and then bring it to my nextclub was was really important.
And now it's a language I speak.
Um that also helped when I whenI got my MBA, you know, to be
able to know that.
And so the financial acuitygrowth was huge working in a
corporate environment.
So I think that was reallyimportant.
(23:00):
And honestly, the other thingwas um the diversity in the
workforce was so much broaderworking in sports.
You know, when you bring in 600employees for a game day versus
having your core 20 or 30employees um at a club,
obviously in the summer seasonthat grows.
We hire 50 people just to workat our pool between servers and
(23:23):
bartenders for the summer.
Um, but when you're at a stadiumand you have so many, you know,
people and influx of managersand the diversity of the
workforce, that was really big.
And learning how to communicatein such a different way.
Um, you know, we were bringingin temporary staff, we were
bringing in volunteer staff.
(23:45):
All of the stands at thestadiums were volunteers.
Uh, and a lot of them arenonprofits, and so they're
raising money for theorganizations.
Um, a lot of them were um youthorganizations, so maybe it was a
dance team or um uh like asoftball team or something, and
they're raising money for theirgroup to go on these trips or to
(24:05):
for their dance competitions andthings like that.
So um it was so many differenttypes of of organizations and
programs that I thought that wasreally interesting and it's
really helped me when you'rewhen you're looking at um the
the club that I'm at now andbeing it's not a city club, but
it's in the heart of the city.
(24:26):
And so again, a really diversework group.
So I think I think that wasreally helpful.
I think a lot of clubs, youknow, that I've worked at have
been in Surubia.
And so it it's this it's it'svery uh I'm trying to think of
the right word, but it there'sit's just not a diverse work
group.
So I think bringing bringingthat to the table and and being
(24:49):
able to really think about thatmore clearly, uh, I think that
was really helpful.
So I definitely brought thingswith me from that and the
excitement and the energy andunderstanding what I'm drawn to
and and and that's you know,also put something else in my
pocket.
And we we talked about this withum with my second job.
(25:10):
Um, you know, I'm also aninstructor at a community
college.
And so one of the things that Italk about with my students when
they're coming to me looking forinternship ideas or things of
that nature, we often talkabout, you know, different um
different paths that they cantake.
(25:31):
And I really encourage people towork in sports.
I think it's such a fun resumebuilder.
It's it's really interesting.
So, because to take a step backfrom that, I'm always gonna
champion for private clubs.
It's my number one, I you know,I think beyond restaurants,
beyond hotels, private clubsoffer such a wonderful work
(25:55):
environment and such exposure.
And we can certainly go back andtalk about that.
But when we're talking aboutinternship opportunities, I
teach at a community college.
So there's not as many formalinternship programs available to
those students the way thatuniversities offer.
So when we're talking aboutwhere we should go or what what
(26:16):
kind of internships do you want,a lot of these students aren't
able to go out to the East Coastor go to Florida or go to where
all these really exciting umclub internships are.
They need to stay home, right?
They're working, they're helpingto support their families.
Um they they can't move, theycan't leave Minnesota.
SPEAKER_01 (26:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (26:36):
We have some, we have a lot of major sports teams
here.
We've got the Vikings, theTwins, the the Gophers,
Minnesota United.
I think that there's women'shockey now too.
I forget the name of that team,but there's all these
opportunities.
And when you're interviewing forpositions or you're sending your
resume out there and they seethese pro sports teams, that's
(26:56):
exciting and that's reallyinteresting.
If that's not just, I worked atDoubletree for a summer.
That's, you know, that that'sinteresting.
I can't think of a better word.
Um, and I think that could getyou an interview.
From there, it's up to you,obviously, to present yourself
well, to be well spoken, to beto be interesting on your own,
(27:17):
right?
But having some of those keythings on your resume as, yeah,
I worked for the twins for thisseason, or uh, even thinking
about some of our major marketevents that we've had.
We've had the Super Bowl, we'vehad Ryder Cup, we're gonna have
it again.
Um, we've got the KPMG, or wehad the KPMG.
Um, yeah, there was a, I forgetwhat it what it is, the golf
(27:40):
thing.
Um I think we've got a coupleother big golf events coming up.
We had the frozen floor, thefinal floor, like we've got all
these things.
Volunteer for those, get on, geton those um platforms or get on
to those events.
Um, I've been really fortunateto have, you know, people in my
life working on those events.
I let me connect you to thesepeople.
(28:01):
I've also worked at theseplaces.
Let me connect you.
I, you know, when I worked forthe for the University of
Minnesota or for Airmark, whenwe had the Vikings there, I've
I've been able to connect withsome of the Vikings employees or
with some of the MinnesotaUnited employees.
Can I, is there somebody I canconnect you to?
Some of them have now moved onto other places.
There was a gal that worked attown and country club where I
(28:25):
currently work, and she wasinterviewing for a role with
Special Olympics.
I'm like, oh, there's agentleman that worked for
Minnesota United who's now atSpecial Olympics.
Let me reach out to him for you,you know, and and let me make a
connection.
It doesn't mean you'll get thejob, but is there a support that
I can offer?
So it's it's the same thing withinternships.
Find something interesting thatis going to pique someone's
(28:47):
interest, get it on your resume,and then and then build that
connection, build additionalconnections on your own.
So it's something that I I tryto champion for.
Um, and and having had worked inthat sports and entertainment
industry, even briefly, theconnections are vast.
And the interest, you know, Ipromise that I it's it's I
(29:10):
promise that I've gotteninterviews because of that
experience.
I got to work with NBC Sports, Igot to work with Monday Night
Football, you know, I, you know,I because I delivered soup to
their trailer, you know, like itsounds so silly, but I met these
people, and every time thatMarty Cabelli from NBC Sports
(29:30):
came to town, the snow came withhim, and I texted him like,
dude, what are you doing to us?
You know, and it's this greatopportunity to connect with
somebody.
And that's the same thing withthe club business, right?
We connect with people.
So where does what does thatconnection look like?
How do you bring it to thetable?
How do you capitalize on it andand grow it?
(29:53):
So, I mean, I I obviouslyhaven't talked to him in years
now that I've been out of thatindustry, but golf is also
something.
Sports and entertainment.
It's just utilized in adifferent way.
So, you know, golf, privateclubs, you know, however you
however you look at it, it's allsports and entertainment.
So I think that there's thatthere's um a relationship that
(30:14):
you can build with that.
So if you want to work in clubs,work in clubs.
Absolutely work in clubs.
But if it's something thatyou've thought about before, my
my job as an instructor, as a asa um educator is to open doors
and open minds and and plantseeds.
So I'm gonna plant them.
I'm gonna plant them for privatefor private clubs.
(30:35):
I promise.
In the classroom, these kids areprobably, or these students are
probably sick of listening to myexamples about clubs.
They want to hear about you knowabout big restaurants and hotels
and they want to travel theworld.
And you can do that with clubsas well.
But let's let's get your foot inthe door.
You know, and your foot is gonnabe in the door because they want
to listen to the experiencesthat you've had.
SPEAKER_02 (30:56):
Yeah.
And if they can document thoseexperiences now with you know
LinkedIn and other platforms asas as well, people are
constantly looking for talent inthose places.
So if you can document thejourney and start, you know,
writing well on LinkedIn anddecent posts and absolutely.
(31:17):
People are always watching, andand now we're all connected more
than ever.
So it's easier to get somethingsomeplace else because of what's
built.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:27):
Yeah, I'm trying to tell my daughter that even with
her.
She's like, Do I need a resume?
I'm like, Yes.
Yes, you have to have a resume.
Well, will you write it?
Oh my gosh.
No, no, no.
But I can't.
Yeah, why use AI.
Um, just put some bullets, putit in there, and then make sure
it doesn't sound like an87-year-old wrote it.
You know, make sure that itsounds like you wrote it.
(31:50):
Um, but yes, and you needLinkedIn.
It's the same thing with my son.
He also works in golf.
Um, he works at a country clubhere in Minnesota.
He's a equipment manager.
But um, but yeah, same thing.
You need a resume, you needLinkedIn, you need to connect
with people, you need to startbuilding this for yourself
because it it's it's soimportant.
It's so important.
(32:11):
I don't know if they get that.
They're still on, they stillthink that an employer is gonna
find them on Snapchat.
SPEAKER_02 (32:17):
So you know, it probably is only a matter of
time.
Yeah, maybe it's it we'reprobably we're probably still
about 10 more years.
SPEAKER_00 (32:24):
I maybe.
I don't know.
She's in Phoenix and she'sapplying for jobs, but she's
using her Minnesota address.
I'm like, well, no wonder noone's calling you.
They're not gonna help yourelocate, but they don't re you
know, she's already there.
So I'm like, you got it.
Use your current address inPhoenix.
Good goodness, I don't know.
I'm trying.
Like, I'm not calling anybodyfor you.
I'm not gonna call them.
(32:46):
I'll tell you where to apply.
I will tell I'll help you findsome clubs near your apartment,
but I'm not I'm not reaching outfor you.
You've got to do this byyourself.
SPEAKER_02 (32:55):
Talking about the the kids in the school and
teaching, where what do you seein that world, in that
environment?
What are they struggling with?
What are their hesitations, youknow, when they're looking at
the hospitality world?
SPEAKER_00 (33:07):
Yeah, you know, I don't know, I don't know what
they're concerned about, butwhat I'm concerned about is that
they're not showing up inperson.
Everything is online and behinda screen.
And I think my biggest concern,and we've talked about this um,
you know, with otherinstructors, hospitality is an
(33:29):
in-person business.
It is not an online business.
So, you know, most of my courseshave moved online because
enrollment, enrollment was downfor in-person.
So when I first started teachingfour years ago, my courses were
you could you could choose ifyou wanted to be in person or
online.
And so I would have maybe 10students in person and 10
(33:53):
online.
And the 10 in person, it woulddwindle down every week, and I'd
have two showing up in class andeverybody else just completing
their stuff and turning it in.
And it was hard because youcan't have quality discussion.
So, even, you know, how I saidthat, you know, all of my
examples when we're talkingabout things in class were club
examples.
(34:14):
Um, but you you can't havequality discussion and quality
conversation with two people inthe room.
I mean, those two people arehaving a great conversation, but
no one else is getting thatinteraction.
And so my my worry is that withso many students doing doing
classes online, and and let'slet's be honest, like when when
(34:34):
everyone's went to online highschool and college during COVID,
it's impossible now to gobackwards and say, well, we
expected you to still beeducated during COVID and we
expected you to stillparticipate online, but now
we're gonna make you do it inperson.
It's hard to go backwards,right?
It's hard to transition back.
But if you want to work inhospitality in any capacity,
(34:59):
clubs, hotels, restaurants, youknow, luxury travel, whatever
you want to do, it's still anin-person job, right?
Like you still have to buildrelationships, you still have to
be of service.
You can't deliver someone's foodfrom home.
Like you can't do it.
And we can talk about, I mean,they were just talking about
(35:20):
this.
Um we were at LLC um in DC andthey were talking about you know
the robot servers and whatever.
I'd be sure you can do that, um,but not really, right?
I mean, the robot can't, youknow, welcome Mr.
Jones to the club in in aprofound way that makes him feel
welcomed and makes him feelneeded.
(35:40):
You you can't do that.
So that's I think my biggestworry is I think there's so many
young people that are having ahard time connecting with each
other and with other people.
So I think that's that's myworry in general, whether you're
a student or you're finishingschool, uh, there's so many
(36:02):
people have a hard timecommunicating.
I mean, you and I arecommunicating now digitally, but
we met in person, right?
Like I met you where were wherewere we?
Chicago.
I met you in person.
SPEAKER_02 (36:13):
So uh MREF.
SPEAKER_00 (36:14):
Yeah, so like you you can establish a connection
and then you can continue toperpetuate it digitally.
Uh, but I'm sure I'll see youagain in person at some point,
hopefully in Anaheim.
But uh, you know, well you can'tyou can't only form these bonds
on the internet and you know,through through Snapchat or
TikTok or or whatever it is.
(36:36):
So I think that's my biggestconcern is as these young people
are entering industry, you theyjust they they have to be able
to be in person.
And I'm really worried aboutthat.
So I even when you're talkingabout internships and um, you
know, getting themselves outthere, I I struggle with it,
(36:58):
right?
I struggle.
I I have anxiety when we're inbig groups.
It's it's I was thinking aboutthis when I was I was driving um
to the you know, I'm I'm in thislike rented office space.
I didn't want to talk to you umat my house because my husband
works from home and he's just aconstant like interloper into
(37:20):
whatever space I'm in.
Um so I was thinking about thisdriving in here and how how much
anxiety I have when I'm in largegroups.
And we were at LLC and and I'mat this table of people for
dinner that I knew nobody atthis table besides my husband.
And I was sitting at the table,not talking to people because
(37:43):
I'm not good at that when it'snot my space.
But my husband is, you know,like, hi, I'm Jason, and he's
talking to everybody, andeveryone thought I was the
spouse.
And so they're asking, like,well, what club are you at?
And I'm like, oh no, no, I'mjust the spouse.
I'm just the guest, she's theone that's at the club, she's
the chapter president, becausethat's what you know, LLC is the
managing directors and chapterleadership and whatever.
(38:06):
And they're like, Oh, oh, well,what club are you at?
You know, and so then I have tostart talking to people.
And so even though I'm in thisindustry and and I have this
job, I still have these problemsthat I have to deal with and
overcome.
And it's and it's the you know,the problems of of having um,
you know, nervousness in socialsettings or meeting new people.
(38:29):
And so I understand, you know,what the students are challenged
with that are spending theirlives behind their phones.
I I get it, but you still haveto do it and you still have to
get out there.
And the longer you wait to doit, the worse it is.
So when I started the positionthat I'm in now, I'm like, okay,
(38:49):
if I'm gonna make this work andI'm gonna be successful and I'm
gonna really make a place formyself in this club, I'm gonna
have to talk to these people.
So it's like every night for thefirst month, I went to every
single table.
Okay, I'm Bridget, I'm the newassistant general manager.
I wanted to make sure Iintroduced myself to you and you
know, like, oh, this is great tomeet you.
It's like I purposely put myselflike I I knew under my shirt,
(39:13):
like I'm breaking out in hives,I'm probably splotchy, I'm sure
my ears are red, you know, likeit truly makes me uncomfortable.
But then last night at thisquarter century dinner, I'm
working the room and I'm fine,I'm I'm comfortable because I
know these people.
So you have to put yourself inthese positions and you have to
be out there and you have to beconfident with yourself, and
(39:36):
you're not going to do that ifyou don't get out from behind
the screen.
So that's my biggest worry withthis next group of people coming
out, um, you know, coming intoum industry and whatever
industry they're in, you know,but especially hospitality is
that I'm just so worried that umI'm so worried that they're
(39:58):
gonna be so uncomfortablecommunicating in person with
people that it's that they'regonna struggle.
So we'll see.
Hopefully the ones that reallywant it are gonna charge right
through that.
And maybe the universities aredifferent, you know, because
again, I'm at a communitycollege, and so maybe
universities are differentbecause they're taking more
(40:19):
in-person classes, and so maybethat's where the hospitality
students are at.
I mean, I again I'm teachinghospitality courses.
I mean, it's business andhospitality, but and maybe
again, maybe it's differentbecause I'm at a community
college and they can they Idon't know.
I mean, I I know universitiesalso offer online courses, but
(40:40):
and maybe yeah, maybe it's justthe demographic of of the
student that I have, but that'sthat's just my concern with who
I'm teaching.
Um but you never know.
But yeah, I think there's somany wonderful students that are
coming through these programs.
I mean, I work with thestudents, I don't work with them
directly, but the students atStout.
And we're hosting um studentscoming up on the uh 13th,
(41:02):
October 13th at our club.
And I'm so excited because we Iwas on a panel last year.
I think that maybe we were atinterlocking, I can't remember,
but they were engaged, they wereasking questions, it was so fun.
So, so yeah, maybe it's themaybe it's the students that I
have.
Maybe it's me.
(41:23):
You never know.
But I'm excited.
I mean, there's definitely, youknow, different programs out
there, but I'm either way, I'veI've had some wonderful students
um work, you know, that haveworked at our club that have
gone through and you see themout in the world doing great
things.
Um, the programs are wonderful.
There, there's great internshipsout there.
(41:45):
Um so we'll see.
But I I just worry about aboutyou know it being such a such a
strong need to be in person.
Hospitality is an in-personbusiness, and I worry about the
online courses clouding that.
SPEAKER_02 (42:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (42:02):
So we'll see.
SPEAKER_02 (42:04):
Yeah.
What you know, you've you'vedone a lot in your career.
Different, you know, roles,positions, different, you know,
from different points of view,uh, for different reasons.
You know, looking back so far,and you you have so much you
want to do still and are goingto do, but like looking back,
what what are you most proud of?
Like looking back on everything,like what what makes you the
(42:24):
happiest?
What what are you most proud ofin your career so far?
SPEAKER_00 (42:29):
Gosh, that's such a hard question.
Cause I don't know.
I think I think some of themlike there's there's
accomplishments that I've hadthat I'm really proud of.
And then there's likeaccomplishments of others that
I'm really proud of, right?
So for myself, I'm I'm so proudthat I was able to um raise my
(42:51):
family and and still stay in theindustry.
Like I do see so many um youngwomen start in the industry and
then dip out because thepressures of work and family can
be really great.
Um, I, you know, sometimes it'shard to feel like you're your
best self at work and at home.
So I'm so thankful that um, youknow, again, my husband is he's
(43:16):
he's such a good dad.
And he was, you know, he's sofun.
And um, you know, we we wereable to balance our our lives in
a way like it's never balanced,right?
Like, and everyone talks aboutthat work-life balance.
It's never balanced, but I wasable to always like I've always
had great um people that Iworked for where, like, hey, I
(43:37):
need a dip.
My daughter's in this cheercompetition.
She is the she's only on stagefor two and a half minutes.
I just need to make sure shesees me there, right?
And so I'm gonna go, I'm gonnawatch her, and I'm gonna be
back.
So I've all it's always beengreat that I could do things
like that.
Um, my son played a bunch ofdifferent sports.
(43:58):
So again, same thing.
Like, I'm gonna go watch this,I'll be back.
Um, so to be able to do thingslike that, and you know, I
always worked at night, heworked during the day, I was in
my kids' classrooms during theday.
Like there were just things thatI so genuinely appreciate so
that I felt like I was able tobe the kind of parent that I
wanted to be and also the kindof leader that I wanted to be.
(44:21):
Um, so I'm I'm really proud ofthat.
Uh, you know, we didn't reallytalk about this, but you know,
my education was a long, twisty,windy road.
I always share that with mystudents.
Um, I started college in 1995and I finished college in I
think 2010.
You know, I was in and out ofschool.
(44:43):
It took me forever.
But part of it too was because Ididn't go to school until I
figured out what I really loveto do.
So um I was on the 15-yearcollege plan.
SPEAKER_02 (44:53):
Um, but super, super, super, super senior.
unknown (44:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (44:57):
Senior.
What?
Um, so but you know, like I didwhat I needed to do when I
needed to do it.
And I ultimately, you know, Iwent to Stout.
I have a degree in golfenterprise management.
And then I got an MBA and I didall of this stuff while my kids
were toddlers and elementaryschool kids and um middle
schoolers.
Like, I'm I'm so proud that Iwas able to reach my education
(45:19):
goals when I reached them.
That it, you know, I mean, I wasworking 60 hours a week, I was
going to school, I was gettingthis stuff done.
Like, I'm so proud of thosethings because education's
really important to me.
I just didn't know it until, youknow, I was old.
Um, so I'm so proud of thosekind of things and that I've
achieved the things I want toachieve.
And and also, you know, doingthe CCM stuff and like all of
(45:43):
the things that I was able to dowhile raising a family and
working in club management,right?
Like all of those things.
I don't know, I don't, I don'tknow how I did all of that
stuff.
So so exciting about that.
Um, and then like the pride thatI have in other people.
Um, you know, again, the peoplethat have worked for me, the
people that have worked with me.
(46:03):
It's so exciting to, again, I II've I said this earlier,
watching um people, and most ofthem don't even work in clubs,
right?
Totally fine.
But getting to watch people thathave worked for me develop who
they are as people.
Um, I think of one gentleman inparticular, and I hope that he
hears this.
Um, but his name is Ivan.
(46:24):
And Ivan came to work for me.
Um, it was so funny because hishis girlfriend at the time
worked for me.
She was a server, and this thisguy came in and he was like the
bouncer at a club event.
So he was checking IDs for abeer tent, and it was like a day
job, right?
He just came in and worked forus for one day.
(46:44):
We paid him cash, and then he hestarted showing up more and
more.
And and so I don't even rememberwhat he was doing at the club,
if he was bartending or servingor whatever, but he worked there
for a while, and then he camewith me to the next club, and
then he came to me, came with meto the next club, and and then
the next, right?
Like I think he worked with meat four, maybe four clubs.
(47:05):
He was I don't know, a coupleclubs.
Um, and then he ended up workingum with the PGA um during Ryder
Cup, and then that turned intoworking um with the Super Bowl,
and then that turned intoworking with I think the Final
Four.
Um, then he worked for MinnesotaUnited.
(47:25):
I mean, he's gone on and doneall these amazing things, and
it's connections that he madewhile working at clubs that we
worked together.
Um, he just transitioned out ofsports, and I think he's I
forget what position he has now.
Um, he got married to the girl.
They have a beautiful family.
Um he's one of the best peoplethat I know.
(47:46):
Like he's just such a goodhuman.
And um, and his wife's name isAshley, she's a teacher.
Um, but they're just they'regreat people, they have a great
family, and to watch them gofrom this young couple to this
married couple, building theirfamily, growing their careers,
like it's gonna make meemotional, but to like to be
(48:08):
able to watch this family growfrom just these two people that
were in college, that um I lovethat, and I'm so proud of him as
a human, as a man.
Um he's just a good person.
And so to be able to have thesekind of people in my life, I
love that.
Like, you know, there were timeswhere he'd call, he's like,
(48:28):
Britain, I'm thinking about thisjob, and you know, I'm not sure
about it.
And like, and I forget what theposition was, but I'm like, do
you even like that sport?
Like, why are like why are youwhy are you thinking about it?
You know, and he's like, well,and I don't remember what it
was, um, what his reasons were.
And I'm like, Ivan, do you evenwant this job?
(48:49):
He's like, I don't think so.
I'm like, then why are wetalking about this?
You know, so it's like he wasasking me like career questions
or life questions and andwhatever.
And it's just like, I love that.
Like, I love that we have thatrelationship.
And that was just because of ajob, because he was like this
bouncer at this like tent partythat we had, you know?
Um, so that's so I'm so proud ofthat.
(49:11):
And I'm so proud that I haverelationships like that with my
employees.
There's another gal that workedfor me at a club, and um, she
ended up leaving.
There was a conflict, you know,with that with an employee, and
and she's gone on to have acouple different positions.
We just checked in with eachother the other day.
I love that.
She's not, again, she's not at aclub anymore.
I think she's at a hotel.
Um, but it's just theserelationships that I'm so proud
(49:34):
of.
So I I couldn't ask for anythingbetter.
Like, I think that that speaksso much to um the kind of
manager that I am.
I love that.
I just love that.
SPEAKER_01 (49:46):
So I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (49:48):
That I'm I'm more proud of that than any of the
degrees and jobs and you know,credentials or whatever.
Like, I mean, I I want thatstuff too, don't get me wrong.
But I just want to be a goodperson and I want to be a good
manager, and I want people tolook back on our time together
and be like, oh, she was justshe was not a jerk.
You know, like she's a goodhuman too.
(50:08):
Like, I want to be a goodperson, a good human.
So I'm so proud of that.
SPEAKER_02 (50:12):
Yeah, which is a really good goal.
And I feel like a lot morepeople need a simple goal like
that.
SPEAKER_00 (50:16):
Like, which is my boss did suck.
SPEAKER_02 (50:21):
They weren't a jerk.
Actually, tried to help.
SPEAKER_00 (50:24):
Yeah, something, something like that.
SPEAKER_02 (50:27):
Bridget, thank you so much for coming on.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for coming onand sharing.
SPEAKER_00 (50:31):
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02 (50:34):
Hope you all enjoyed that.
Bridget, thank you so much forcoming on and sharing and all
that you do for the youths andhelping out in your communities
and trying to bring the best ofthe best to the club space.
I'm your host, Denny Corby.
That's this episode.
Until next time.
Catch y'all on the flippityflip.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!